Most Ancient Aryan Society

Author(s): Ram Chandra Jain
Publisher: Institute of Bharatalogical Research Sriganganagar Rajasthan

Page 288

( 261 ) Řc is body while Chhanda is its soul. Rc is inferior to Chhanda and Rtvij is inferior to Brahmā. Hence Rgveda is inferior to Atharvaveda. Yajña produced RC and Chhandas. Yajña was the military, economic and social activity of Gaņa for the growth of material prosperity and male posterity. The primitive Aryans believed that the art of Chhandas would help them much in economic and social growth.
Maxmuller maintains that sacrifice was a very natural occupation of the Vedic savages. 97 By Vedic', in this Yajña-- Parent of context, he means Āryan. Primitive Aryans Chhandopathy needed great stimulus to win victories in war or to avert natural calamities. Āryans believed in the vast mighty powers of the phenomena of Nature. The easiest way to obtain that stimulus was to devour that force. That force had its human representative with them ; hence the social institution of Puruşamedha came into being. It was believed that if the Gaņa ate the flesh and blood of the Ganapati, his qualities would be transferred to the whole Gaņa. The mana of the sacrificed would give that needed stimulus. The general feast prepared from the flesh and blood of Gaņa pati was attended by Chhanda singing and dancing. The Chhanda singing was the vehicle that transferred the qualities of the sacrificed Ganapati to the members of the Gana. Various kinds of cattle were sacrificed ; their flesh and blood eaten, accompanied by appropriate Chliandas, to secure freedom from fear; to bring advancement, offspring, cattle heroes ; to get prosperity, long life for themselves, their cattle and their children, for sexual vigour ; for getting food and cultivated fields; kinedom and milk ; to get a firmly built house and manifold material pleasures ; and also to burn unfriendly persons, thieves and foes and for killing enemies in battlesa8. Whether